J.M.W. Turner: Sketchbooks, Drawings and Watercolours

The Dart Estuary is seen to the south-east; the foreground is now built over, but a close match for the viewpoint is The Keep Gardens, off Townstal Hill, on the northern approaches to Dartmouth. The tower of St Saviour’s Church is in the middle distance to the left, with Kingswear on the opposite bank and the shallow spire of St Petrox’s Church above Dartmouth Castle in the distance. There is a similar view, apparently from a just little higher and eastwards to judge from the alignment of the buildings, on folio 47 recto (D08862). Between folios 41 recto and 45 recto (D08856–D08860) are five views of Warfleet Creek, off the estuary on the near side of the castle.

There are views in and around Dartmouth in the contemporary Devonshire Coast, No.1 sketchbook (Tate D08365, D08366, D08527, D08528, D08564, D08783, D08785, D08786, D08788; Turner Bequest CXXIII 2a, 3, 84, 84a, 103, 235a, 237, 237a, 239) and in the later Devon Rivers, No.2 sketchbook (Tate D09730, D09731, D09733–D09744; Turner Bequest CXXXIII 50, 51, 52, 53, 53a, 54, 55, 55a, 56, 57, 57v, 58, 59, 60). Of the latter, D09733 (CXXXIII 52) is a very similar view to the two in the present book.

Verso:

Blank, save for very faint inscription by John Ruskin in red ink ‘3’ bottom left, upside down. There is some brown spotting, and a repaired tear at the top.